Birds
by fezwearingjellybananas
Summary: No SHIELD. No Avengers. Just the three of them, about to become the greatest team-up the world has ever seen. Okay, so that's a little optimistic, but a pretty good flock at least?


Bobbi was out alone. They were still grieving for Trip, it was easier this way. Besides, Gonzales probably wanted an update on Coulson. Whitehall was dead, but that didn't mean HYDRA was gone.

She doubted HYDRA would ever really be gone.

The man slammed into her, knocking her sideways. He seemed to have wings. Bobbi was briefly stunned, but she got up regardless and readied herself to right.

"Agent Barton?"

"I thought you said you didn't know her," the man who slammed into her said to the man at his side. Clint Barton, Hawkeye. SHIELD agent. Avenger. Knew Coulson before, she wasn't sure if he knew Coulson was alive.

"We never met, I don't know every single SHIELD agent. Unless we did meet. Did we meet, you look familiar."

"Did you sleep with her?"

"No? Why does everyone assume that? Besides, she's HYDRA, right? You wanted HYDRA people, I got you HYDRA people, can I go back to bed now? Alone."

"I'm not HYDRA. I'm Agent Bobbi Morse, with SHIELD. And no, I haven't met Agent Barton before, but I've heard of him."

"What do they say? Is it still that I'm a car crash who can't hold a relationship together for more than ten minutes, I thought Sitwell was going to die laughing when he told me that one."

"Sitwell was HYDRA."

"Maybe. But you. SHIELD's gone."

"No, it's not."

"Dammit, you mean I went job hunting for nothing?"

"You got dragged by Natasha to join the Avengers, you did not go job hunting."

"Maybe I have twelve children to support, did you ever think of that, Sam? Maybe SHIELD gave me a steady income the Avengers do not provide. Maybe my eldest child had to drop out of school to become soul breadwinner because his old man's too busy saving the world and not getting paid to put a meal on the table, did you ever think of that, Samuel? This is Sam by the way. Sam Wilson. Para rescue. And not an Avenger. Yet. He's cool."

"Hi. You do not have twelve children."

"You don't know that."

"Names?"

"Timothy. Barney. Steve. Natasha. Lavender. Nick. Francis. Natasha."

"You said Natasha twice."

"Named after their aunt."

"Not their mother?"

"Er, no, you think Nat would let me leave our Timothy as the sole breadwinner? She's been there for me ever since their mother, erm, no, I can't think up something like that. Probably also worked for SHIELD and lost her job too."

"SHIELD has a policy against that," Bobbi said. "Did they let it slide for you and the mother of your twelve children?"

"Well, you see, we were already married when I joined, so it was fine. Nick Fury's an old friend, he was my best man. She's looking for a job. Timothy's been getting restless cooped up at home, it's time for him to fly the nest really. If only there was someone who could provide me with a job do SHIELD have paperwork, please, I'm broke."

"But you haven't got twelve children."

"I'm forty three, I could have twelve children. One every other year starting from when I was nineteen. Does that work?"

"Don't ask me, they're your kids," Sam asked.

"Oh, that's right, Sam, you don't care about us. You couldn't even remember your children's names. Well, maybe I'm leaving."

"We're not the ones who were married."

"She doesn't know that."

"We're both guys, how did we have twelve children?"

"Adoption."

"How were you a spy?"

"Good looks, good charm, and an excellent partner."

"He took out a Helicarrier with two arrows," Bobbi said.

"Loki couldn't have invaded New York without me. I regret that immensely."

"You were mind controlled. But they could have done with you in Washington."

"I was looking after my children. It was my middle baby's birthday. You can't just leave for something like that. Besides, my wife was at SHIELD and we couldn't find a babysitter. Weren't you Sam, blowing up my job."

"So where were you really?" Sam asked.

"Perhaps I was doing my job and being shot at. Which you didn't hear about because it was a secret and I am actually capable of doing my job. Which is why, Agent Morse, you're going to have to come with us."

"I have a job to do."

"So do we. And ours is for Captain America, unless you've got Nick Fury in charge of that SHIELD of yours, or Maria Hill, I'm ranking him higher."

"Robert Gonzales. He's in charge. Anne Weaver."

"Yeah, Cap wins. You coming?"

"You're an Avenger and you're, I don't know what you are."

"He's an angel, aren't you dear? Got the wings to prove it."

"I thought you just left me? Going back to your wife?"

"It's only ever been you, Sam, you know that."

"You can't leave now, Clint, think of your children. All twelve of them."

"Birds stick together. They'll understand, Sam, they love you as if they were their own father. Better than their own father."

"That's not true, your kids think the world of you. Especially little Lavender."

Bobbi almost missed the proud look on Barton's face. So that was why he was a spy, it looked real.

"Are you two love birds going to do something, or are you just going to stand here and have a tiff? Kiss and make up already, I have a job to do."

"You were at HYDRA," Sam said.

"Undercover."

"What do you know about the Winter Soldier?"

"Nothing more than the stories, they never mentioned him to me."

"Another dead end. Don't worry. We probably won't see you around."

"Unless you want to stop by Avengers Tower and give me a job, in which case, by all means, I'm free whenever, it's not like I have a job to go to."

"Give up, Clint, she's not giving you your job back."

Wilson took to the sky, picking Barton up with him. And Bobbi carried on with her mission.

* * *

 _Several months later..._

"I'm going to kill him."

"Hunter, no."

"After all he did to you, he's now trying to restart HYDRA, I'm going to kill him."

"What if I want to kill him?" Skye asked. "Or Fitz, he threw Fitz in the ocean."

"What if Agent Morse wants to kill him herself?" Fitz asked. "Or Simmons wanted to. Simmons tried."

"Everyone just stop," Bobbi said. "We need him alive to tell us what's going on."

"Do we really?" Skye asked. "That didn't work last time. And we haven't got May back yet."

"Just follow my lead."

* * *

Ward was on the jet, she'd have to get to the jet. Skye was bringing down the place, Fitz had gathered what files he could and Hunter was on Skye's six. Ward had already tried to drag her into the jet; Bobbi had flown at him. He'd let go in surprise and Hunter had stepped in to stay at her side.

"Just stay there!" Bobbi yelled and leapt into the air.

"Bob!" Hunter yelled. The jet kept rising. Oh, she did not think this through.

An ecstatic yell of glee rang through the air and an arrow hit the side.

"What is wrong with you?"

"Sam, this is great!"

"You're insane!"

"It was your idea!"

"I meant by your arms!"

"How am I supposed to shoot if you're holding my arms?"

"You are really heavy!"

The two men came into view, Hawkeye holding his bow hanging upside down, Falcon holding his ankles. Falcon dropped him on top of the jet.

"Hey Morse," Hawkeye said. "Long time, no see. You come here often?"

"All the time. Haven't seen you here before though."

"He's getting ready to migrate," Falcon said. "Getting restless."

"Apparently you're Mockingbird," Hawkeye said. "Nice of you to tell us."

"I thought hawks and falcons were predators."

"Like I said before, birds stick together. No luck with the Winter Soldier yet."

"Heard you took out a robot army though."

"Yeah. And Sam's an Avenger now."

"Congratulations. You find a job to support your twelve children yet?"

"My wife did. I'm helping."

"You stuck with her then."

"What, oh yeah, Sam was right, I couldn't do that to her, ever, I love her too much. It's been years, and every day I wake up and get to smile that I'm married to Mrs Barton. Sam has his eyes on someone else."

"I knew the Sam bit was a lie, but that didn't seem it."

"Sam really does have his eyes on someone else, it's true."

"Do you think we could do this while we're not on top of an aeroplane in the air?" Sam asked. "I'm fine, but I can't carry both of you. I could drop you, I'm sure no one would mind."

"Thanks," Barton said.

"You know I'm kidding. You got a plan?"

"Bust open the side door with an explosive arrow, jump in, grab HYDRA, ask what we need and whatever Mockingbird needs, and fly off into the sunset so I'm home in time for tea. Not home, I need to stop by the base. Bye."

Barton fell backwards off the plane. Bobbi closed her eyes, he was definitely dead. An explosion ricocheted through the plane and she opened them. Wilson offered a hand and they flew down to the door, pulling in the rope with a grinning Barton on the end. Wilson punched his shoulder.

"If you die, your wife will kill me."

"If I die, Nat will kill me. Also possibly you. I have a parachute, I'll be fine. Besides, I trust you to catch me."

"Is he okay?" Bobbi asked, drawing her gun and shooting the HYDRA agent who stood.

"He's sleep deprived and running on adrenaline and coffee." Sam pulled out his own gun and shot the other one.

"And you?"

"I often have bad nights. But I tend to worry more, esspecially when I have morons diving off aeroplanes to catch."

"Says the guy who didn't say no when I suggested that, if he wanted to carry me, it would have to be by my legs because I need my arms for shooting." Barton tossed a knife over Wilson's shoulder and pinned the second HYDRA agent to the wall. Just Ward left, in the cockpit. "Besides, wasn't it you who brought a knife to a gun fight and somehow left with a gun? And you call me irresponsible, Nat told me, you were in a t-shirt, Samuel, that is not suitable for a knife fight, let alone a gun fight with a knife."

"I didn't say I was responsible. I said you weren't."

Bobbi ran and knocked Ward out.

"I'll fly!" Barton said, leaping into the seat. "Where am I going? Oh, autopilot. Ma'am?"

"Why are you looking at me?"

"You're the only actual SHIELD agent here, and I'm pretty sure you're my superior. I can turn this jet around or we can follow the autopilot."

"Why would you want to follow the autopilot?"

"To find out where he was going, duh."

"That's a suicide mission, birdbrain," Wilson said. "I'm in. Agent Morse?"

* * *

Barton touched the jet down. Bobbi left Ward unconscious and secured to the jet in handcuffs, along with the other HYDRA agents, sending a message to Hunter. He'd find them.

Barton grabbed his bow and Wilson pulled his wings back on. They turned to her.

"Ma'am? Got a plan of attack?"

"You can stop with the ma'am."

"Then you can call us Clint and Sam. Except now, we're Hawkeye and Falcon. Mockingbird, any ideas?"

"Anything could be in there."

"Anything at all."

"We could knock on the front door."

"I love you," Clint said.

* * *

It was empty inside. Bobbi drew her gun and Clint pulled an arrow out of his quiver.

They crept further inside, a bang sounding from behind them. Bobbi spun round, but the corridor was still empty.

"I think we should go," Sam said. "This feels wrong."

"He's right," Bobbi said. "Something about this place is creepy, we're not finding HYDRA here."

They made their way back through the building and Sam stopped to pick something up. He frowned at it.

"What is it?" Bobbi asked.

"A business card for Cross Engineering."

"Then I think we know where to go next."

* * *

Hunter, Skye and Fitz were waiting for them at the jet.

"Skye, I need you to get us a way into Cross Engineering."

"It's run by Darren Cross," Clint said. "I had a run in with his cousin a few years back."

"Are you Hawkeye?"

"Clint Barton. This is Sam Wilson. He's Falcon. He's an Avenger."

"Wow."

"Skye, I need that way in," Bobbi said.

"There's a party thing in two days, I can get you a ticket and a plus one."

"I'll go with you," Hunter said.

"No, you need to stay with Skye, she's the one HYDRA are after."

"Because I'm an Inhuman?"

"Yes. I've got the pick of two boys here."

"Neither of us have superpowers," Sam said. "Just a lot of training."

"Take Ward back to base, get what you can out of him. Hawkeye, Falcon, with me. Skye, you got that invite."

"You are so lucky there's a 3G signal here so I could get internet. Here."

"Thank you. Hawkeye, Falcon, we've got a party to crash."

* * *

"Why do I have to be your plus one?" Clint moaned. "Why can't Sam?"

"It's not real, Clint."

"I know it's not real, but why me? I hate suits. And I miss my bow."

"Because you're the one who's job was doing stuff like this. Let's go over the plan once more. Clint and I take the front entrance, make it seem like we're supposed to be there."

"Then we head downstairs to let Sam in and try and head to the computers."

"I download what we can, or we call Skye."

"While Clint and I hold off anyone who comes down there," Sam finished. "We know. I'll bring your bow, Clint, and I've got Bobbi's staves."

"Right. Now that's settled, we need to go or we'll be late."

They headed to the building, Bobbi in a long black dress with a small white cardigan, hiding her suit underneath. Clint was in an ordinary suit, Sam had his uniform. He was going to change there, it was easier than trying to hide it. Skin tight had its uses, Bobbi said. That and it didn't impede on her movements quite so much.

Clint offered his arm and she took it, walking up to the door.

"Samantha Johnson?" Bobbi asked. "This is my husband, Charles."

"Go right in," the receptionist said. "Mr Cross expressed an interest in meeting you."

"Thank you," Bobbi said.

She headed into the building with Clint heading up to the floor where everyone was, scanning the surroundings for escape routes if the plan went south.

"Fire alarm," she whispered.

"It's not subtle."

"What's two people in chaos?"

"I like you, Agent Morse."

"Come on, let's find this party."

The room was crowded, people everywhere. Clint picked out Cross in a second.

"We need a way over there. It's William, the cousin."

"We're married. May I have this dance?"

"That's your best plan?"

"I've done the same thing a hundred times with Nat. It works."

"Well then."

She took his hand and they twirled around. Other people were dancing and Bobbi steered them over to where Cross was with someone.

"Oh, I am sorry," she said as she knocked his elbow. "I'm ever so clumsy, dearest, why didn't you warn me there was someone there?"

"I-"

"Never mind, it's too late now. I am sorry."

"It's quite all right," Cross said. "I don't believe we've met."

"Samantha Johnson. This is my husband, Charles."

"William Cross. I've heard of your work, haven't I?"

"I doubt it, I was ever so surprised to receive an invitation."

"Darling, you're too modest, Stark couldn't complete half his inventions without you. It's a shame he doesn't appreciate you more."

"Tony Stark is like that," Cross said.

"Oh, I don't mind," Bobbi said.

"He should really treat you better, you're as essential to him as Pepper Potts."

"Charles, you know I'm not that important."

"I don't suppose you're looking for a new job?" Cross asked.

"That depends. You have my contact details."

"Perhaps I'll find an offer. I believe Ms Potts was due to attend tonight. I'll see if I can't have a word."

"Thank you. For the invitation."

"Have a good night."

Bobbi and Clint continued to dance heading away from him, Clint swearing under his breath.

"Table," Bobbi muttered. Pepper was standing there in a green dress. Clint headed over.

"Agent Barton."

"Shush. I'm undercover. This is Bobbi, she's SHIELD, if Cross asks you, she's Samantha Johnson, she's an engineer working for you, one of your best, and I'm her husband, Charles."

"What's going on?"

"The fire alarm will sound at some point, don't look for us, just get out and call Tony, got it?"

"Yes."

"I'll explain when this is over."

Clint and Bobbi headed away, leaning against the wall. Bobbi pushed the alarm and everyone panicked.

"Just head out in an orderly fashion. Towards the main doors," someone called and the two of them darted down a stairwell to let Sam in.

"Oh, my bow, I missed you."

"Clint, stop being weird."

"This way," Bobbi said. The three of them headed into the lower levels. Bobbi headed towards the computer, putting her staves down, while Clint and Sam got ready.

She froze as something floated into the room.

"Out, now."

"The door's locked," Sam said. Clint plucked an arrow from his quiver.

"I can explode it."

"We don't know what gas it is," Bobbi said.

"I've got a pretty good idea," Sam said, falling to the floor.

"Clint."

"I'll just..."

He joined Sam and the last thing Bobbi saw was a gas mask as the door opened.

* * *

She woke up sitting up. Someone had tied her to a chair; her arms behind her back and her feet tied to the legs. Her fingers darted up to the knot.

Clint and Sam were both in the same room, in the same predicament, but gagged. Bobbi frowned and Clint shrugged.

"We don't want them interrupting," Cross said, walking in. "Agent Barbara Morse."

"You work for HYDRA."

"No, I've worked with Ian Quinn."

"Hawkeye said something about you."

"He exposed some dealings with the CIA I didn't want revealed. You really shouldn't have brought him."

"We were expecting your cousin. What are you going to do?"

"Quinn gave me access to some technology of HYDRA's, it's just a little experiment to see if it can be effective as a sound."

He left, locking the door. Bobbi could see their weapons in the corner.

She found where the ropes around her hands were tied and fiddled, undoing it, moving onto her legs and heading over to where Sam and Clint were. She untied them.

"We need to get out of here."

A piercing sound rang through the air and Bobbi heard Sam yelling. Everything was fuzzy. She had her staves now and clashed them with Clint's bow. He nocked an arrow, pointing it at Sam, who glided across the room.

Bobbi turned her attention to him, a noise coming from Clint's mouth. She covered her ears. He had an arrow head in there and shot up at something in the corner of the room.

The fuzziness faded and she realised what she'd been doing.

A ringing in her ears remained, and Clint waved.

"Are you normal again? Shake or nod."

Bobbi nodded.

"Great. Can you get us out of this one? I can't hear anything." He fell over. "I also can't balance."

"Sam, can you carry him?"

"Was I about to be killed by you?"

"Cross has some kind of sonic mind control. The arrow head in your mouth, it was sonic, wasn't it?"

"I have no idea what you just said," Clint shouted. "There was mind control through sound, I put a sonic arrow in my mouth so I couldn't hear it and shot the transmitter. Now can I go back to bed?"

"Sam?"

"I've got him. I have some medical training, I can take care of him. Tell me if his ears start bleeding badly, or if anything clear comes out of them."

"What did you say, Sam?"

"Come here you, self-sacrificing idiot."

"I think you're insulting me, you and Bobbi are good enough to get all three of us out of here while dragging me, it made sense."

Sam pulled Clint up, holding onto him and following Bobbi.

She didn't know if they were HYDRA or working for Cross, but there were people everywhere.

Sam was busy, so it was up to her.

Bobbi twirled her staves, fighting three people at once. Sam followed her through the building, knocking down people where he could. She was pretty impressed by how he could fight while half carrying Hawkeye.

Sam took to the air, depositing Clint outside before coming back for Bobbi, lifting her to follow him. Sam handed her an arrow from Clint's quiver.

"Pretty sure it's that one." He returned his focus to Clint, speaking into something.

She couldn't draw his bow, but she didn't need to with that head.

The building exploded, Cross in front of it. Bobbi looked down as Sam pointed at something in her side and noticed the blood.

A girl she didn't recognise came to her side and Bobbi slept.

* * *

"Easy there," Nick Fury said. "You got hit pretty bad, Morse."

"Hey," Sam said. "Welcome to the Avengers medical wing, it's Clint's home."

"How is he?"

"Well, he's deaf, but aside from that, he's fine."

"And you?"

"Sprained wrist. Few bruises, just small stuff. You got shot, but it only grazed the surface, you'll be fine. I patched you up out there, you've got stitches, but Wanda helped me get you back, you're fine."

"So I can get up?"

"You're not going back to SHIELD yet, if that's what you're asking," Nick Fury said.

"But if you want a place on the Avengers, there's room," Sam said. "We can make our own little flock of superheroes."

"I'm not a hero."

"Yeah, you got us out of there, you're a hero. And Clint and Nat were both SHIELD agents, you wouldn't be the first."

"I'll see. You got us out too. We made a pretty good team."

"We need to take Clint home."

"I expect his wife's worrying."

"He told you both about Laura?" Fury asked. "Morse, you're a pilot, you're going to need a Quinjet."

Fury left and Sam and Bobbi looked at each other.

"There actually is a wife?"

* * *

Clint was incapable of walking in a straight line, so Sam helped him along. He'd been given some hearing aids, temporary ones until they could specify exactly which he needed, which Stark was working on. He'd said they wouldn't be perfect, and they'd probably be quite large to work properly, but he could make them more durable and the batteries last longer at least.

"Down here," Clint said. Bobbi was flying and he'd put in an autopilot setting for wherever he lived. Sam and Bobbi both helped him to the front door.

"Honey? I'm home."

A woman came out of the kitchen. Bobbi blinked a few times. She kissed Clint.

"Nick rang, he told me what happened."

"I'm fine."

"You're shouting, honey."

"Oh. I also can't hear if you're behind me, Tony's working on it."

"Remind me to thank him."

"This is Sam and Bobbi. Falcon and Mockingbird. This is Laura. My wife."

"It's nice to meet you," Laura said. "Clint's told me all about you, Sam, thank you for taking care of him, and honey, I've met Bobbi before."

"You're one of SHIELD's analysts. You didn't go by Barton."

"No, I used my maiden name at SHIELD."

"So that lie when you said your wife worked at SHIELD as well, so you were both unemployed, that wasn't a lie."

"Lie with the truth. But exaggerated. Works every time. Besides, all the rumours at SHIELD are that I'm either dating Natasha or my love life's a car crash, who was going to believe I was married? I really was at home without a babysitter available."

"And the twelve kids?"

"Clinton."

"Sorry honey. Here they come."

Two small beings ran into the room.

"Dad!"

"Dad!"

"Hey buddy, hey sweetheart. Sam, Bobbi, this is Cooper and Lila."

"Is Auntie Nat here?"

"She's busy this time, sweetheart."

"What are those?"

"They're so I can hear you, I had a bit of an accident. Bobbi and Sam saved me."

"Are they superheroes too?"

"Yep. The best kind, this is Falcon and Mockingbird. They saved me lots of times, Sam here I lost count of the times he swooped in to save me. He can fly."

"Cool!"

"I have wings, they're mechanical, I can't just fly."

"Can you show us?"

"I'll check with your mother."

"Are you faster than Thor?"

"I haven't raced him. Next time he's back."

A noise came from upstairs.

"That'll be Nathaniel," Laura said. "Cooper, dear, could you help Dad? He's not very good at standing up at the moment."

Bobbi watched as Clint's son helped him sit down, before Laura came back and handed him a baby. Clint rocked it, mumbling to him.

"I'll make some coffee," Laura said.

"So?" Clint asked.

"So you're a mother hen?"

"That's not what I was going to ask. Probably true, but not it. What do you say about joining the Avengers?"

"We need you, Bobbi," Sam said. "You can bring SHIELD in if you want."

"That might not work. Coulson's in charge."

"That little, if my kids weren't here, I'd tell you exactly what I thought of him," Clint said.

"Skye said she was a what, an Inhuman?" Sam asked.

"She can control vibrations. Cause earthquakes, that kind of thing. Sometimes she loses control."

"Bruce wandered off after Ultron, Thor's on Asgard, we've got the room."

"I'm not going to be much help for a while, am I, Nate? Someone's going to need to be there to stop Nat killing Coulson," Clint said

"Could be fun," Bobbi said.

"And I'm sure Clint will join you when he's back on his feet," Laura said, putting down a tray of mugs on the table. She sat next to Clint and leaned on him. "Won't you dear?"

"I guess we should probably go find this Quinn guy. Agent Morse, you're in charge of this trio, what say you?"

"As soon as you can shoot a bow as accurately as before, we'll get back out there."

"And the plan past that?" Sam asked.

"We'll wing it."


End file.
